Systematic Theology (Volume 1 of 3)Strong, Augustus Hopkins
Religion
Systematic Theology (Volume 1 of 3)
Strong, Augustus Hopkins
Baptists -- Doctrines; Theology, Doctrinal
A. Faith is knowledge, and a higher sort of knowledge.—Physical science
also rests upon faith—faith in our own existence, in the existence of a
world objective and external to us, and in the existence of other persons
than ourselves; faith in our primitive convictions, such as space, time,
cause, substance, design, right; faith in the trustworthiness of our
faculties and in the testimony of our fellow men. But physical science is
not thereby invalidated, because this faith, though unlike
sense-perception or logical demonstration, is yet a cognitive act of the
reason, and may be defined as certitude with respect to matters in which
verification is unattainable.
The objection to theology thus mentioned and answered is expressed
in the words of Sir William Hamilton, Metaphysics, 44,
531—“Faith—belief—is the organ by which we apprehend what is
beyond our knowledge.” But science is knowledge, and what is
beyond our knowledge cannot be matter for science. Pres. E. G.
Robinson says well, that knowledge and faith cannot be severed
from one another, like bulkheads in a ship, the first of which may
be crushed in, while the second still keeps the vessel afloat. The
mind is one,—“it cannot be cut in two with a hatchet.” Faith is
not antithetical to knowledge,—it is rather a larger and more
fundamental sort of knowledge. It is never opposed to reason, but
only to sight. Tennyson was wrong when he wrote: “We have but
faith: we cannot know; For knowledge is of things we see” (In
Memoriam, Introduction). This would make sensuous phenomena the
only objects of knowledge. Faith in supersensible realities, on
the contrary, is the highest exercise of reason.
Sir William Hamilton consistently declares that the highest
achievement of science is the erection of an altar “To the Unknown
God.” This, however, is not the representation of Scripture. _Cf._
_John 17:3—_“this is life eternal, that they should know thee, the
only true God”; and _Jer. 9:24—_“let him that glorieth glory in
that he hath understanding and knoweth me.” For criticism of
Hamilton, see H. B. Smith, Faith and Philosophy, 297-336. Fichte:
“We are born in faith.” Even Goethe called himself a believer in
the five senses. Balfour, Defence of Philosophic Doubt, 277-295,
shows that intuitive beliefs in space, time, cause, substance,
right, are presupposed in the acquisition of all other knowledge.
Dove, Logic of the Christian Faith, 14—“If theology is to be
overthrown because it starts from some primary terms and
propositions, then all other sciences are overthrown with it.”
Mozley, Miracles, defines faith as “unverified reason.” See A. H.
Strong, Philosophy and Religion, 19-30.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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